Brown University reached an agreement with federal education officials to resolve a complaint over alleged antisemitism on campus, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights said on Monday. The DOE received a complaint in December 2023 alleging violations of the federal law that bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin — […]
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Posted inEducation, Housing, Local, Politics
Providence Mayor Smiley to education critics: we made ‘as much progress as we can afford to make this year’
TRANSCRIPT: This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Luis Hernandez: All right, let’s get into education. I didn’t know this; I learned, it was about 25 years ago when a new consensus emerged on the need to improve Providence schools. And then, of course, five years ago, the state takes control of the […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for July 5, 2024
If you think that news slows down around here in the summer, do not pass go and do not collect $200. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up […]
Posted inHousing, Local, Politics
Rhode Island officials welcome federal housing grant
Rhode Island officials say a newly announced $3.8 million federal grant will help the state to make more headway against its housing crisis. Kimberly McClain, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, attended a news conference Wednesday in the state library at the Statehouse, complete with an oversized check. “It is […]
Posted inEconomy, Local, Metro Desk
No contractors have submitted bids to rebuild the Washington Bridge
After coming up empty-handed, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation chalks up the lack of bids to the ambitious August 2026 timeline for the project to rebuild the bridge. The initial request for proposals was publicized in April and focused on incentivizing bidders with cash for completing a bridge rebuild by August of 2026. It […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Whitehouse says Biden’s assessment on whether to keep running is ‘the responsible thing for him to do’
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse – who made national news by saying he was horrified by President Biden’s recent debate performance – said Wednesday that Biden is doing the right thing by assessing whether to continue his campaign. “I think it’s the responsible thing for him to do,” Whitehouse told reporters after an unrelated news conference […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for June 28, 2024
Well, how was your Thursday night? You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** STORY OF THE WEEK: The Kennedy–Nixon debate in 1960 marked the dawning […]
Posted inLocal, Political Roundtable, Politics
RI Senate Democratic Whip Val Lawson on Washington Bridge, East Providence and the future of the Senate
Valarie Lawson has enjoyed a rapid rise in the Rhode Island Senate. Lawson was first elected in 2018 and she is now the third-ranking member in the chamber. The East Providence Democrat may climb even higher. Senate president Dominick Ruggerio is 75. If he wins re-election this year, Ruggerio is expected to pass the Senate […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Almost half of General Assembly races go uncontested
Dozens of the 113 seats in the Rhode Island General Assembly will not feature a competitive election this year, according to initial filings with the Secretary of State’s Office. A review by The Public’s Radio shows that 17 incumbents in the 38-member Senate and 37 in the 75-member House of Representatives do not face an […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Pell Center poll shows low ratings for McKee, Matos and Biden
A new poll by the Pell Center at Salve Regina University shows both Gov. Dan McKee and Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos with approval ratings that are underwater. Thirty-six percent of respondents support the job done by McKee, while 54% disapprove, according to the poll. For Matos, the approval number is 28%, while her disapproval was […]